Democrat, Republican Candidates Increasingly Avoid State Party in CA Elections

15 May 2014

A growing trend in California finds candidates eschewing party labels and running as independents. In three different statewide races, secretary of state, insurance commissioner, and superintendent of public instruction, the candidates have either rejected affiliation with the Democrats and Republicans or are doing their level best to disguise their associations with one of the parties.

In 1988, 83% of candidates claimed to be Democrats or Republicans, but this year, 21% of candidates have no official party designation, and only 72% of candidates are party-affiliated. Here are some of the “non-partisan” candidates;